


Dialogue

by star__light



Series: Stevidot A-B-C-Dary [4]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: ABC Challenge, F/M, Feelings Realization, Gen, Post-Episode s05e29-32 Change Your Mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 15:38:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18594286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/star__light/pseuds/star__light
Summary: "Peridot, I need to talk to you."Pearl has noticed a strange behavior in her partner.





	Dialogue

Pearl had seen it as a vague coincidence among all those she had witnessed in her eons of existence. A chance presented randomly that still missed her.

Maybe more than she thought.

_"Pearl…"_

_The aforementioned had stopped reading when she heard that voice, always nasal and certainly imperative, with an unusual timbre hesitant and even timid._

_In front of her, Peridot stood by crossing her legs and playing with both index fingers, staring at the ground._

_The gem must confess that, after so many months, it was difficult to get used to the new physical form of her friend. She had literally discovered it as soon as she regenerated in Homeworld._

_"Yes, Peridot?" She had responded when she saw that the olive gem did not have the heart to keep talking, and was surprised when she saw her start, seemingly lost in thought. "Do you need some help?"_

_She had sensed her analyzing the question and thinking about the answer for a few seconds, but she did not dare press her. It should be noted that she was distressed by the tardy answer._

_"Yes" saying that very abruptly, it was Pearl's turn to startle. She had changed her expression to a more serious and enigmatic one, and the gem preferred to give her her space to talk._

_On the other hand, Peridot massaged the bridge of her nose thinking deeply of her words to the point that her gem released a small spark. However, perceiving the inquisitive gaze of the white gem, she sighed heavily feeling heat flood her cheeks._

_"Pearl," repeated a flushed Peridot, and sighed heavily, pressing both hands to her sides, not daring to look her in the eye. "I need you to train me in the handling of the sword."_

_To train? Why?_ It's not that Pearl disliked it, it's more, she enjoyed doing it and appreciating Connie becoming a warrior defending the Earth. However, coming from Peridot missed her greatly. She had always seen her very proud of her power over metal, and she was even on the beach with Amethyst, Steven and Connie training to improve them.

Pearl got up from the couch and went to the screen door, her gaze fixed on the group of humans and gems.

Steven and Connie maneuvered with the shield and the sword respectively in friendly combat. Peridot moved in a strange synchronization several cans until lifting them to the sky, where Amethyst received them with his whip.

She knew that he could not criticize them for continuing to train after the _"diplomatic"_ visit to the planet and the descorruption of the gems, not because of the custom, but because they did not know if they were more corrupt gems or faithful to the old mandate of their sovereigns.

Garnet could assure that it could happen at any time, but that she will not ensure when it would certainly make her nervous.

Then she looked at the expression of the green gem.

She squinted both eyes, puckered her lip and calculated the movements of both arms. Perhaps her companions did not perceive it for being focused on their own training, but that causes her gestures to look forced.

 _Train with the sword? Too much fixation on her movements?_ Pearl thought, leaning her side against the door with her gaze fixed on the beach. _Something was wrong with Peridot._

And now that she thought about it, Peridot had never shown that attitude after their arrival unless they were both alone. While with the rest showed a confident smile and a high ego.

That favor had been the straw that broke the camel's back.

At that moment, Peridot's attention was focused on Connie, and Pearl remained alert.

She had to admit that so much time with her had made her identify the varied expressions she had while Steven and Amethyst had her thoughts and ideas.

And now she seemed to analyze Connie's movements with the sword. Partially proud to see it moving with some grace but recognizing when to defend and when to attack, but she was disturbed that Peridot try to imitate such movements by moving suddenly the cans that levitated in the air, stopping the attack of the purple gem.

"Peri!" From her position, the white gem was able to hear the exclamation of her companion, and she noticed how the above mentioned startled, recovering this way the composure but throwing the cans, sounding hardly when falling in the sand.

Even the pair of friends had stopped training to focus their attention on both gems.

She see how Peridot's lips moving, probably in an apology, and how she returned to her cans without making eye contact. Subsequently, Amethyst observed Steven and Connie, who shrugged equally surprised.

Probably Steven had also perceived that Peridot was not well. However, deep down inside Pearl sensed that the fact that she shared her desire to train with the sword meant she could have the confidence to say it.

She just had to find the right moment.

And with that thought, Pearl continued to take care of the housework.

* * *

 Pearl had never felt such a long day waiting for the green gem to find itself alone. She had trained with their improvised squad until twilight and Steven had had the courtesy to accompany Connie to her house.

Garnet had returned in the company of Lapis Lazuli, before going to their respective rooms after being with some of the first Crystal Gems and Jasper. They had chosen to stay at the Pink Diamond's fountain to be the only place that they had remembered so they had decided to take turns to show them what was now the Temple and different points on Earth where they could settle... although Jasper hesitated on it.

She was sitting on the couch trying to consider her words in the middle of a reading when she heard the front door.

She looked up and found Amethyst heading to the refrigerator.

"Hello, Amethyst," receiving kindly, she gave her a friendly smile.

"Whassup, Pearl?" Corresponding with an exhausted smile, she took the milk and drank it directly from the cardboard, thus erasing the smile on the face of the thin gem but making her roll her eyes.

"Where is Peridot?" Asked casually when she noticed that the mentioned gem did not accompany her partner.

She waited patiently for the purple gem to finish recovering the lost energy. Of course, she hated eating, but she would not deprive someone who clearly enjoyed it.

"On the beach, stargazing." Amethyst kept the carton of milk and then closed the fridge again to lean on her folding arms. "But don't try to talk to her, it seems that she literally has other things to think about; she has been very quiet the last few hours and though I tried to speak to her, she seemed to be in her own world. She hasn't even moved her tablet since we finished training."

In accompaniment, she pointed to the device that lay inactive on the small table in the living room.

"Whatever! I'll be in my room if you need me. I need to sleep after a hard day of training. "Goodnight, Pearl!"

"Good night, Amethyst," she said, glancing briefly at her companion to the door of the temple, which immediately recognized her gem and opened the segment corresponding to her room where mounds of garbage received her fully.

She waited until the door closed and sighed heavily closing her book before depositing it at her side and standing up stretching her body.

She allowed her slippers to take her to the door and open it, taking a panoramic view of the beach.

There, as Amethyst mentioned, Peridot was sitting and hugging her legs.

Pearl slowly closed the door and walked down the stairs until she felt the sand at her feet.

She doubted that she was silent and approached the green gem slowly, perceiving her gaze fixed on the sky. She wondered if she was looking at the Homeworld's galaxy, an inaccurate point in the sky or if she really looked at the stars.

"Hi, Peridot." Stopping at her side, she looked at her sidelong. The stars were partially reflected in her glasses, but at no time seemed to react to her words. "Nice night, right?"

Slowly she sat next to the smallest gem inhaling the saline aroma and appreciating the calm ocean reflecting the star-bathed sky and the huge moon shining in its heyday.

It was a beautiful image, but unfortunately she had not only gone to appreciate the landscape.

"Peridot, I need to talk to you," she said after a long sigh, sensing how the aforementioned gem was moving slightly in her position.

"Are you going to tell me why you were spying on me?" She said in a thin voice, and she saw from the corner of her eye how Pearl's expression changed and she could not help a sly smile. "Please! You are not very discreet."

Well, at least the Peridot she knew was still there. That was a good start.

"Actually, I'd like to know if there's something that bothers you." She watched Peridot's smile disappear and returned to see the night sky. "Since we returned from Homeworld, I've seen you quite distracted. Of all the gems, I thought you would be the one that would be most proud to have been the savior."

She smiled forcibly showing her teeth, and looked down at the grains of sand in her gravity connectors.

"Then there is the matter of mastering the sword, and how you analyzed and tried to imitate the movements of Connie during her training with Steven... Peridot, do you really want to learn it?"

Of course, Peridot's lip pursed, and she watched as she put her hand under her glasses to remove the tear that threatened to come out.

"I don't know…"

She thought deeply about her words, and Pearl sympathetically waited for her to organize her thoughts.

"I've been thinking" Pearl refocused her gaze, seeing how she made amorphous figures in the sand, "and I want to be more useful in the team."

The white gem settled quickly in hers place.

"What are you talking about? If it were not your help and Bismuth's, we would probably continue in Homeworld! By repairing the Yellow and Blue's ships, you allowed Steven and them to try to reason while we were still in our gems. Of course, it did not end well, but it helped us a lot..." in a sign of support, she gently placed her hand on the opposite shoulder.

"I don't mean that," she said dryly, not moving her pale hand away. "I know we were amazing at that time, but I cannot help but feel bad after being returned to my gem in such a... pathetic way."

Pearl's expression became distraught and Peridot hugged herself.

"Let my pride consume me in the worst situation, again, I knew that some miserable cans would not even hurt Blue Diamond!"

"The important thing is that you did your best. You're still dominating your powers." She tightened her grip slightly, and didn't care that Peridot was moving away with a slight abruptness.

"Even so! I wanted to try, I wanted to protect our home, our friends and family. You managed to do it in the rebellion to protect Pink and the team, that's why I turned to you; I really want to help the Crystal Gems, despite not having been created to battle."

Peridot had never spoken so much to anyone other than Steven, acknowledged Pearl stunned. She felt back in the past, when Steven barely learned to control his powers.

"Besides, unlike that battle, we now have a half-human and a human on our side. Unlike us, they are not able to regenerate. This is not like one of those Steven's games in which the characters have multiple lives." She sighed heavily, and felt her cheeks heat up and did her best to cover her face. "I just... I want to protect him."

 _Protect him?_ Pearl took advantage of the fact that Peridot had broken the contact to move her hand away, and she noticed the strong green color that her face had acquired and tried to conceal it in the little light that there was. _At one point she was talking about Steven and Connie, so she should have spoken in the plural, but she had done it in the singular, and for **him.**_

But she knew she should not make strange movies.

"Peridot..." she muttered, to which the gem responded with a muted "hmmmm?" "How do you see Steven?"

"For the vision spheres, obviously"

Pearl's expression was lost for a second.

"No! I mean... how do you see him as a person?"

And Peridot looked up, puzzled by the question of the white gem.

"As someone worth protecting, I thought it had been clear enough. Steven is a great person, to be honest with you, is perhaps the only way of life that has really matters to me. He was the only one who wanted to listen to me before all this happened, he was willing to disobey you for my sake and I... I feel I owe him my metaphorical life" she dared to look at the pearl with her cheeks still heated. "Of all of us, I believe that you are the one who would know better than anyone how is to feel that debt and respect towards another gem."

Unconsciously, Pearl's cheeks acquired a teal tone when she remembered that superior gem, the feeling that she owed everything to her for having given her that freedom that she was looking for so much.

Although she had not really considered it a debt...

"Sooner or later, Connie will be less present to continue her life as an earthling," she returned to look at Peridot who, calmer, looked at the ocean circling the sand, "and we don't know what might attack. I would not like to appear with simple cans."

But at that moment, Pearl could not argue why she could not continue using the cans at the moment it will attack because she preferred to finish putting the puzzle together.

"I want to protect him, in the real way. Not because it has Pink's gem under his shirt. Come on, it did not even matter when we thought it was Rose's. But because, well, as I mentioned before, it's Steven..."

And so, Pearl saw the background of Peridot's words.

She was beginning to experience feelings she did not understand. It was a slow process, especially since she was still a novice in matters that were not related to gems, her campers' show or to protect the Earth, and she knew that she should not accelerate it to avoid altering her.

In addition, she acknowledged that she could be the least suitable person to touch the subject. Of course, she could recognize what it was like to feel that way for a gem that could be considered elite, but she recognized that talking about her story with Steven and Sapphire was not a healthy feeling.

Maybe Garnet, or even Steven, both were more adept at the subject.

Come on, that even Greg could give her better advice than she would!

But while waiting for Peridot to have more confidence to speak openly with one of them, the only thing she could do now was to support her.

That is, now she shared that feeling of affection towards the possessors of the pink diamond gem.

Listening to Steven return to the beach in the company of Lion, Pearl rose from her position receiving the inquisitive look of Peridot.

"We'll start next week, come prepared."

 


End file.
